Rack of Lamb with Braised Peas, New Potatoes, Pickled Cucumber & Lamb Sauce
By M&S Food
Published on 25 April 2022
Rack of lamb is one of the most popular, and tastiest, cuts of meat thanks to its full flavour from the bone and sweetness from the fat This recipe, created by chef Jack Stein for the final of the first series of Cooking With The Stars, brought to you by M&S Food, is served with braised peas (made with a certain cupboard staple you either love or hate), new potatoes and a rich lamb sauce. When served with such an array of special sides, this pretty plate is a sure way to impress your guests at your next dinner party.Time and servings
1 hrTotal time
4Servings
1 hrCooking time
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp of sugar
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 100 ml of red wine
- 500 ml of lamb stock
- 1 tbsp of tomato ketchup
- 1 tsp of worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp of marmite®
- 200 ml of cider vinegar, + 1 tbsp for the lamb sauce
- 300 g of new potatoes
- 1 sprig of mint, + a handful mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1.2 kg of racks of lamb
- 20 g of unsalted butter, +150g cubed for the lamb
- 50 ml of olive oil, + 3 tbsp for the lamb
- 1 cucumber, sliced into quarter moons
- 1 pinch of chinese five spice
- 200 g of peas
- 1 handful of pea shoots
- 1 dried lime leaf, sliced
- 0.5 tbsp of dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp of brown sugar
- 25 g of chives, chopped
- 2 tbsp of crispy onions
- 1 shallot, chopped
Method
Step 1
To make the sauce, reduce the shallot, garlic, thyme and wine in a saucepan until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Add the lamb stock and reduce again by 3/4 so it’s nice and thick.Step 2
Pass the sauce through a sieve and then add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp Marmite®, and 1 tbsp cider vinegar. Keep warm until you’re ready to serve.Step 3
Place the potatoes in a pan of salted water with the sprig of mint. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes until soft. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water.Step 4
In the pan, add 1 tbsp of the cooking water and half the uncubed butter. Add the potatoes and coat.Step 5
Season the lamb racks with salt. Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning, until the lamb is coloured on all sides.Step 6
Add the thyme and the 150g cubed butter and baste the lamb. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the lamb with a meat probe – it should be around 58°C and the meat should be pink. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.Step 7
Sprinkle 1 tsp salt over the cucumbers. Set aside for 10 minutes.Step 8
Mix together another tsp of salt, 200ml cider vinegar, a pinch of Chinese five spice and a 1 tbsp sugar for the pickled cucumbers in a saucepan.Step 9
Drain the cucumber and add to the saucepan. Bring to the boil and then leave to steep off the heat.Step 10
To make the braised peas, add 200g peas, 50g butter, 1 lime leaf, sliced, 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce + 2 tsp brown sugar, and 1 tsp Marmite® to a saucepan with 50ml water. Cook for about 5 minutes until the peas are soft, but still have a little bite.Step 11
To make the chive oil, blend the chives with 50ml of olive oil and salt.Step 12
Place a spoon of peas in the centre of the plate, add a slice of pickled cucumber on top of the peas. Slice the meat into 3 pieces, season with a little sea salt and lay on top of the peas and cucumber. Pour the sauce over and garnish with chive oil around the plate. Top with pea shoots and crispy onions and serve with the potatoes, dressed in the remaining butter and chopped mint